20 J 



GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



Mica mine. 



Big River. 



Other rivers 



General 

 character. 



reaching Nitchicoon at the close of open water, and frequently they have- 

 been frozen in before reaching their destination, in which case 

 the outfit has had to be hauled to the post on sleighs after the snow had 

 fallen. 



About lat. 52° 33' the next large stream, called Old Factory or 

 " Isonglass " Eiver enters the bay. This is the river on which the 

 company had a small post in 1685, and attempted to work a mica 

 mine, but abandoned it as unprofitable. The only information obtain- 

 able concerning this stream is that it is a much smaller river than the 

 East Main, and that its mouth is obstructed by sand and shingle shoals. 

 To the northward of this are several small streams before the mouth of 

 Big Eiver is reached in lat. 53° 53'. 



Big Eiver is the largest river flowing into James Bay on the east side, 

 and discharges probably a larger volume of water than the Albany, and 

 therefore is the largest river entering the bay. In the latter part of ' 

 this report it is more fully described. 



Between the Big Eiver and Cape Jones are the mouths of several 

 rivers of considerable size, the largest is the Bishop Eoggan, the other 

 important ones being the Little Bishop Eoggan, Seal and Salmon 

 rivers. These drain a large area of country between Big and 

 Great Wha^e rivers. 



The rivers entering James' Bay from the east for their entire length, 

 pass, so far as known, through Archaean country, and consequently 

 present physical characters somewhat different from those on the west 

 wide. On their headwaters they flow on the general level of the country 

 and are nothing but a succession of lakes connected by short stretches- 

 of rapid rivers. After they have attained considerable volume and as 

 they approach the margin of the interior table-land they begin to as- 

 sume a true river character ; they flow, with a moderate current, 

 broken by sharp falls and heavy rapids, in old river valleys cut below 

 the general level. Near the margin of the table-land the valleys become 

 deeper, and the rivers are almost a constant succession of heavy rapids 

 and falls until they reach the lower country, Avhere the} 7 flow with a 

 moderate current, with but few small rapids, in a distinct river valley 

 between clay and sand banks of Post Pliocene age. 



Harbours. 



Settlement. 



In relation to the future settlement of the country around James Bay 

 and to the possibility of its use as a highway for future commerce be- 

 tween western Canada and Europe, the question of its harbours and 

 their terminal facilities for railways is of the greatest importance. It 

 is to be regretted that the natural harbours at the mouths of the 



